i am knitting a hoodie
back was easy to do and front has been fine so far but now i am perplexed

the back ends with :
Repeat these 2 rows to 52 sts
Continue until armhole measures 8.5”/21.5cm
Shape shoulder: Cast off 7sts on next 2
rows and 8 sts following 2 rows.
Leave 22sts on holder for back of neck.

that was fine - --- now i am working front and have got to line that says shape shoulder as for back - - BUT i currently only have 16 stitches on my needles!

sorry for the length of this post but here is pattern for front:

Decrease at armhole edge as for back on next and
following 7 alternate rows till 54 sts ending with RS row
NR: p27 finishing halfway through , turn, and continue on these sts for right front, leaving remaining sts on holder
Continue until armhole measures 6”/15cm ending after a knit row
Shape neck: work to last 5 sts and leave
these sts on holder
Decrease 1 at neck edge of next 6 rows.
Continue until armhole measures same as back
Shape shoulder as for back

so as far as i can see i am correct
27 stitches minus 5 =22 then 6 rows of decreases = 16

I think the shoulder shaping is just this part - Cast off 7sts on next 2, rows and 8 sts following 2 rows. This is for both shoulders on the back and you're doing each shoulder separately for the front, so you would cast off 7 sts on one shoulder at the armhole edge, then 7 sts on the other shoulder at the armhole edge, then the remaining stitches on the next 2 rows. It's not the number of stitches, but how many you BO that will be the same.

Yes, you're correct with 16sts. As Sue posted above, bind off 7 sts from the armhole edge, work one row and then bond off 8 from the armhole edge. Cut the yarn leaving about a 6 inch tail ant thread the yarn through the loop of the last stitch, the 16th.